Symptoms of Nasal Polyps
What Are the Symptoms of Nasal Polyps?
Nasal polyps are the swelling of the mucus membranes in the nose and/or sinus cavities. Symptoms of nasal polyps accompany the inflamed lining of the nasal passages and sinuses.
Lasting more than 12 weeks, the inflammation can be called chronic (ongoing) sinusitis. Chronic sinusitis is not a precursor to nasal polyps.
What are the symptoms of nasal polyps?
Being soft, nasal polyps do not have any feeling. When they are small, there may not be an awareness of them.
A large polyp or many growths can cause blockage in the nose and sinuses. When mucus is trapped in the sinuses and cannot drain, serious infections can ensue.
Typical Symptoms of Nasal Polyps
The one symptom that is most common with nasal-sinus polyps is the uncomfortable nasal congestion where you cannot breathe freely through the nose.
Different illnesses can also cause congestion, therefore, this symptom might not be directly related to polyps. The sinus polyps can be reasonably minor or a totally blocked nasal pathway can occur from congestion.
With blocked nasal passages, shortness of breath might occur frequently. An incorrect diagnosis can result, since the symptom of congestion is associated with asthma.
Quite often there are bacteria and fungi present in patients suffering with nasal polyp symptoms as well. These tend to make the inflammation worse and can be difficult to control with antibiotics.
When you suffer from the symptoms of nasal polyps, you may have any or a combination of the following conditions, but these will depend on the severity of the nasal polyps.
Nasal Polyp Symptoms To Look Out For Can Include
- A runny nose
- Nasal congestion
- Postnasal drip (fluid leaking into the back of the throat)
- Sneezing
- Loss of taste
- Loss of smell
- Headaches
- Facial pain including bones holding teeth and / or around the eyes and forehead
- Irritation of the eyes
- Snoring
- Sleep apnea
- Pressure in forehead and face
- Infections (including a yellow discharge into the back of the throat)
- Difficulty breathing
- Frequent sinus infections
Do not mistake swollen turbinates, normal tissue lining the side of the nose, with nasal polyps. Swollen turbinates are painful to touch and can cause pressure in the nose and face.
Many people having nasal polyps have some of the above symptoms of sneezing, a runny nose, and postnasal drip. A diminished sense of smell occurs in approximately 75% of people with polyps.
Asthmatic symptoms that can arise, are for instance, sinus infections, wheezing, and sensitivity to chemicals and odors. Best thing to do if you think you may have symptoms of nasal polyps is to contact your health care provider for a full consultation.
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